1. Discussion
Student interaction and exchange is achieved primarily through spoken words.
Think-Pair-Share |
Students think individually for a few minutes, then discuss and compare their responses with a partner before sharing with the entire class |
Useful for preparing students to participate more fully and effectively in whole class discussions |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 5-15 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Round Robin |
Students generate ideas and speak in order moving from one student to the next |
Useful for structuring brainstorming sessions and ensuring that all students participate |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: 5-15 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Buzz Groups |
Students discuss course-related questions informally in small groups of peers |
Useful for generating lots if information and ideas in a short period of time to prepare for and improve whole-class discussions |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: 10-15 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Talking Chips |
Students participate in a group discussion and surrender a token each time they speak |
Useful for ensuring equitable participation |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: 10-20 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Three-Step Interview |
Students interview each other and report what they learn to another pair |
Useful for helping students network and improve communication skills |
Group size: 2, then 4 |
Time on task: 15-30 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: moderate |
Critical Debates |
Students assume and argue the side of an issue that is in opposition to their personal views |
Useful for developing critical thinking skills and encouraging students to challenge their existing assumptions |
Group size: 4-6, then 8-12 |
Time on task: 1-2 hours |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: moderate |
2. Reciprocal teaching
aka reciprocal peer teaching
Students purposefully help each other master subject matter content and develop discipline-based skills.
Note-taking Pairs |
Students pool information from their individual notes to create an improved, partner version |
Useful for helping students acquire missing information and correct inaccuracies in their notes and learn to become better note takers |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 5-15 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session or multiple |
Online transferability: moderate |
Learning Cell |
Students quiz each other using questions they have developed individually about a reading assignment or other learning activity |
Useful for engaging students actively in thinking about content and encouraging them to challenge each other to pursue deeper levels of thought |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 15-30 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session, multiple, or all term |
Online transferability: moderate |
Fishbowl |
Students form concentric circles with the smaller, inside group of students discussing and the larger, outside group listening and observing |
Useful for providing opportunities for students to model or observe group processes in a discussion setting |
Group size: 3-5 inside, remaining students outside |
Time on task: 15-20 minute discussion, 10-15 minute debriefing |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: moderate |
Role Play |
Students assume a different identity and act out a scenario |
Useful for engaging students in a creative activity that helps them “learn by doing” |
Group size: 2-5 |
Time on task: 15-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: high |
Jigsaw |
Students develop knowledge about a given topic and then teach it to others |
Useful for motivating students to learn and process information deeply enough to teach it to their peers |
Group size: 4-6, recombine to 4-6 |
Time on task: varies |
Duration of groups: single session or multiple |
Online transferability: moderate |
Test-taking teams |
Students prepare for a test in working groups, take the test individually, and then retake the test in their groups |
Useful for helping students assess and improve their understanding of subject matter as they also teach each other test-taking strategies |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: proportional to exam |
Duration of groups: proportional to exam |
Online transferability: moderate |
3. Problem Solving
Students focus on practicing problem-solving strategies.
Think-Aloud Pair Problem Solving (TAPPS) |
Students solve problems aloud to try out their reasoning on a listening partner |
Useful for emphasizing the problem-solving process (rather than the product) and helping students identify logic or process errors |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 30-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session or multiple |
Online transferability: low |
Send-A-Problem |
Students try to solve a problem as a group, and then pass the problem and solution to a nearby group who does the same; the final group evaluate the solutions |
Useful for helping students practice together the thinking skills required for effective problem solving and for comparing and discriminating among multiple solutions |
Group size: 2-4 |
Time on task: 30-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: moderate |
Case Study |
Students review a written study of a real-world scenario and develop a solution to the dilemma presented in the case |
Useful for presenting abstract principles and theories in ways that students find relevant |
Group size: 3-6 |
Time on task: varies |
Duration of groups: single session or multiple |
Online transferability: moderate |
Structured Problem Solving |
Students follow a structured format to solve problems |
Useful for dividing problem-solving processes into manageable steps so that students do not feel overwhelmed and so that they learn to identify, analyze, and solve problems in an organized manner |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: 1-2 hours |
Duration of groups: multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Analytic Teams |
Students assume roles and specific tasks to perform when critically reading an assignment, listening to a lecture, or watching a video |
Useful for helping students understand the different activities that constitute a critical analysis |
Group size: 4-5 |
Time on task: 15-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: high |
Group Investigation |
Students plan, conduct, and report on in-depth research projects |
Useful for teaching students research procedures and helping them to gain in-depth knowledge about a specific area |
Group size: 2-5 |
Time on task: several hours |
Duration of groups: multiple to all term |
Online transferability: moderate |
4. Information Organizing
aka Graphic Information Organizers
Groups use visual tools to organize and display information.
Affinity Grouping |
Students generate ideas, identify common themes, and then sort and organize the ideas accordingly |
Useful for helping students “unpack” a complicated topic and identify and classify its constituent parts |
Group size: 3-5 |
Time on task: 30-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Group Grid |
Students are given pieces of information and asked to place them in the blank cells of a grid according to category rubrics |
Useful for clarifying conceptual categories and developing sorting skills |
Group size: 2-4 |
Time on task: 15-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Team Matrix |
Students discriminate between similar concepts by noticing and marking on a chart the presence or absence of important, defining features |
Useful for distinguishing among closely related concepts |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 10-20 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Sequence Chains |
Students analyze and depict graphically a series of events, actions, roles, or decisions |
Useful for understanding processes, cause and effect, and chronological series, and organizing information in an orderly, coherent progression |
Group size: 2-3 |
Time on task: 15-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
Word Webs |
Students generate a list of related ideas and then organize them in a graphic, identifying relationships by drawing lines or arrows to represent the connections |
Useful for figuring out and representing relationships; like maps, they can show both the destination and the sites and sights along the way |
Group size: 2-4 |
Time on task: 30-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single session |
Online transferability: low |
5. Collaborative Writing
Students write in order to learn important course content and skills.
Dialogue Journals |
Students record their thoughts in a journal that they exchange with their peers for comments and questions |
Useful for connecting course work to students’ personal lives and interacting with each other in content-related and thoughtful ways |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: varies |
Duration of groups: single to multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Round Table |
Students take turns responding to a prompt by writing one or two words, phrases, or sentences before passing the paper along to others who do the same |
Useful for practicing writing informally and creating a written record of ideas |
Group size: 3-4 |
Time on task: 10-20 minutes |
Duration of groups: single class |
Online transferability: moderate |
Dyadic Essays |
Students write essay questions and model answers for each other, exchange questions, and after responding, compare their answers to the model answer |
Useful for identifying the most important feature of a learning activity and formulating and answering questions about that activity |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 30-45 minutes |
Duration of groups: single or multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Peer Editing |
Students critically review and provide editorial feedback on a peer’s essay, report, argument, research paper, or other writing assignment |
Useful for developing critical editing skills and giving each other constructive criticism to improve papers before they submit them for grading |
Group size: pairs |
Time on task: 2 hours |
Duration of groups: multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Collaborative Writing |
Students write a formal paper together |
Useful for learning and performing the stages of writing more effectively |
Group size: 2-3 |
Time on task: several hours |
Duration of groups: multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Team Anthologies |
Students develop a compilation of course-related readings with student reactions to the material |
Useful for experiencing the research process without writing a formal research paper |
Group size: 4 then 2 then 4 |
Time on task: several hours |
Duration of groups: multiple sessions |
Online transferability: moderate |
Paper Seminar |
Students write and then present an original paper, receive formal feedback from selected peers, and engage in a general discussion of the issues in the paper with the entire group |
Useful for engaging in deep discussion about their research and providing individual students with focused attention and feedback on the student’s work |
Group size: 4-6 |
Time on task: varies |
Duration of groups: multiple sessions |
Online transferability: high |
Sarah Nilsson, J.D., Ph.D., MAS
602 561 8665
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